On the Noble and Illustrious Art of the Goldsmith: an 11th-century text

摘要

The 11th-century Greek manuscript, On the Noble and Illustrious Art of the Goldsmith, is characterised by an unusual equality in the treatment of recipes and technical procedures. In spite of its similarities to late classical and early medieval traditions of artistic-technical writings, the tract demonstrates a great deal of independence in that it describes many methods and uses of materials for the first time, and was the only reference in some cases. These include: gold plating by welding, applying niello with all the necessary steps, enamelling, etching of metals, refining gold with antimony, and making filigree. The commentary explains the substances and procedures, and outlines the status of the individual recipes within historical tradition through comparison with both earlier and later sources.